Every mile I hike is one dollar donated to SheJumps, a non-profit organization that provides community and support for more women (like me) to experience the outdoors. Please consider a donation and help me reach my goal of hiking 2663 miles and raising 2663 dollars for SheJumps!

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Lists

Right now I am sitting. It is one of those rare mornings where us hikers find ourselves in town to catch up on those "other life"chores. Last night, Oasis and I indulged in a "big girl" bottle of wine, the effects of which I am definitely feeling this morning and that are only being exacerbated by this obnoxiously shaky computer screen.
My hiking partner Spud has picked up a new hobby: making lists of things. Some examples include...lists of reasons I can't complain (being a white male, etc), lists of favorite words and foods, lists of friends, hobbies and job possibilities. Yes, I have spent more time than I would like to admit, craning my neck over Spuds shoulder, enviously wishing that I had thought of the list idea first.
Anyway, today due to the fact that we have come over 2100 miles and that my hangover only allows my brain to reach a certain threshold of intellectualism (is that even a word??), I am dedicating this entry to Spud by making my own list of the PCT.
So here goes.

1.) Start date: April 25th
2.) End date: September 21st (hopefully)
3.) Hiking partners: Mostly Oasis and Spud
4.) Average mileage per day including zero days: 18
5.) Mileage per day without zeros: 24
6.) Most beautiful view thus far (in my opinion): Seldon Pass (mile 900) in the High Sierras
7.) Other beautiful views: Crater Lake (mile 1834), Three Finger Jack (mile 1970?), Mount Hood (mile 2107)
8.) Craziest weather on the trail: Hailstorm with cherry tomato sized hail around mile 1931 in Oregon.
9.)most miles hiked in one day: 35 miles (from Sky Lake Wilderness to Crater Lake National Park)
10.) Most interesting food combination consumed on trail: Tortilla, peanut butter, mustard, summer sausage and granola combination
11.) Things I love most about the trail: meeting wonderful people, being inspired by nature and sleeping outside.
12.) Things I am TOTALLY excited about after the trail: being domestic (cooking, cleaning, shopping, sewing, working), taking a shower on a regular basis (more than once every ten days), being enrolled at Portland State University as a graduate student in Public Health, living with the one and only Sophie Sessions (my sister for those of you who don't know me personally)
13.) Most interesting day: July 14th; a day where we hiked in complete silence.
14.) Hardest day physically: Around mile 1000 after Tuolumne meadows. We seriously climbed straight up and then down the ENTIRE DAY and due to the rediculous concentration of mosquitoes, did not really take any significant breaks.
15.) Fun people I have met on the trail: Spud, Cookie, Zen and Wampuscat, Doc and Bluejay, Scarecaw, Preacher, Virgo, Snausage, Nips and Wildflower, Halmark and Yankieson and many many more :)
16.) Favorite piece of gear: NeoAir Thermarest sleeping pad (it seriously feels like an air mattress)
17.) Least favorite piece of gear: My sleeping bag (looks as pathetic as it feels).
18.) Number of days hiked on the trail: 128.
19.) Number of days left to hike on the trail: 23

We are almost there!! Thank-you to all of you who sent packages to Cascade Locks. Anne, thank-you for the mango, chocolate and gummies. Kristina, your care package made our day. I am so excited for a new pair of socks (my old sleep socks have holes). Dad and Chris, we REALLY hope you enjoyed our company and much as we enjoyed yours. Sue, thank-you for driving all the way out highway 26 to interview us and thanks for the rasberries and candy! Much appreciated.
Finally thank-you Claire from SheJumps for sending us your awesome hats. We will be wearing them from here on out to the end of our hike. On that note, Oasis and I have helped raise over 400 dollars to benefit SheJumps. A sincere thank-you to everyone who has donated. We are making a difference. And to everyone who has been hoping to donate. Our hike is almost over, so now is the time! You can easily make a small contribution by clicking on the "Donate to SheJumps" tab on my blog and hitting the "Donate to SheJumps" writing on that page. Your contributions are much appreciated.

Well, I guess we have got another state to hike through, so I have got to go. But, I'll leave you with this poem by By Stanley Kunitz. Cheers.

I am thinking about you (and Oasis and Spud) a lot as you enter this last stretch of your amazing journey. Hope all goes smoothly in these last days and I can't wait to catch up with you in Portland sooner than later.

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Why She Hikes???

In my life I have been blessed with many inspiring friends and mentors who have made it possible for me to undertake the Pacific Crest Trail. As a way to express my gratitude for these wonderful people, I am raising funds to benefit SheJumps, a non-profit organization that provides young women with opportunities to test themselves in the outdoors. Finishing this trail with the knowledge that my efforts have provided support for other women to reach their potential will make this experience worth it for me. Please see my tab titled SheJumps if you feel inspired to donate. Your support and generosity is what keeps me hiking!!